Ball joint



1930- E\. c. Aus'nN BALL JOINT v Oct. 28,

Filed June 9, 1925 Patented Oct. 28, 1930 y UiTED srares ERNEST CHARLES AUSTIN, OF IPOUGIIKEEPSIE, YORK BALL JOI-NT Application filed. June 9,

lThis invention relatesV to a device for connecting two members and permitting a limited universal movement of one member relative to the other. An object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose which is simple' in construction, cheap to manufacture and eliicientin operation. A. further object is to provide a device having a minimum number of parts so assembled as to obviate accidental disconnectionof the members and constructed to automatically take up the wear and prevent looseness or rattling.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device enibodying the invention and illustrating an application thereof in use; Y

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the device;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 2; and v f Figure 5 is a member.

The device embodying the present invention is adapted to connect two membersand permit a limited relative universal move: ment of said members, and more particularly, to connect two members, one of which extends in a direction laterally of the other, as vfor instance in the illustrative installation shown in Figure l of the drawing wherein the device is shown as embodied in the connection between the operating arm a, a shock absorbing device A mounted upon the frame member B of a motor vehicle, and a rigid bracket or arm C secured to the vehicle axle D upon which aXle the frame member B is supported in the usual manner by a spring E. It is necessary in such an installation, that a limsectional detail of the socket "15 ited universal movement be provided for betweenthe ends of the connecting rod l and the arms L and C as when the spring is flexed under load, the arm C not only approaches the arm a but due to the swaying of the car upon its sp-ring supports, there will be a 192e. sei-iai No,Y 114,699. s

lateral Vmovement ofthe arm a'relative to the arm C.' fi i y To provide for this limited universalconnection at the ends 'of the,yconnecting rod fl, the universal joint connection, illustrated in detail in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive, is provided, Y and this device comprises a fixed stud 2having a screwtlireaded shank portion 3, an in,-l tegral ball head 4,and preferably, an integral collar or flange 'adjacent the head. i This stud is rigidly secured to one ofthe members between'which said device is to' `form the connection, sueltas the arm C 'or the arm a, said armbeing provided withan opening to vreceive the screwthreaded'end of the stud to which end is applied a nut 6 with a lock washer 7 interposed between nut and arm and the nut turned up to force the arm into iirin contact'with the collar 5 or againstwas 1ers or spacers 8 interposed between the arm and collar to properly space the arm from the" ball Il. The end of the rodl is screwthrear'led to receive a head 9which is formed with a bore l0 extending inwardly from `one end and internally screwthreaded to receive theend ol the rod and a soclretfll is termed at the end of the bore to receive'the ball head #l on the stud 2. Thissoclret ll is formed by boring inwardly, laterally 'of the head 9 andst an angle to theplongitudinal of the stud o when said stud is in normal position withits vlongitudinal 'axis at right angles tothe"V afgis oi' thebore l0. Thevinne'r end `of this soclvret is preferably. 'formed concentric'to the axis of the ball` il, that is, it is termed with a radius equal to theradius of the ball and the outer open end of' thesocket is of a diameter equal to thediameter of the ball so that saidball head may be entered freely into said socket through this openouter ent To prevent the` escape of said ball head trom its socket, ya plunger 12 is inserted in the bore l0 and provided with a curved end surface to rest upon the ball, a coiled spring-13 being` interposed between a shoulder on the plunger and the inner end of the rod l to yieldingly hold the plunger firmly pressed against the head d, and to guide the plunger in its movement, said plunger is formed with a stem 14 slidable in a bore l5 of the rod. The ball- Cil head 4 is therefore firmly held seated in the lower end of its socket 1l by the plunger, and as the normal position of the stud is with its longitudinal axis at right angles to the aXis of the bore 10 in which the plunger works, and as the axis of the entrance to the socket is at an angle to said axis of said stud, the ball head is held against escape from the socket by being pressed to its seat laterally ofthe socket entrance, but is free at all times to move within the socket in any direction.

A simple construction of universal joint connection having a minimum of parts and which is clicient in operation is thus provided, and one which may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled, it being only necessary in assembly, to insert the ball head of the stud within its socket before screwing the socket head upon the end of the rod 1, and then lsecure the stud to the arm by inserting the stud in the hole in the arm and applying the nut to firmly secure the stud in place. Too free a movement of the ball in its socket and consequent looseness and rattling as the parts become worn, may be prevented by an adjustment of the head 9 on the rod, a screwing of the head into the rod, increasing the compression of the spring 13 to increase the frictional contact of the plunger with the ball head. To facilitate holding the stud against turning while the nut 6 is being turned up, the collar A5 may be flattened as at 16 for the application of a wrench thereto, and such other changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts, as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim is In a device for connecting two members and permitting relative limited universal movement of said members, a ball member on one of said members to be connected, and a socket member on the other of said members to be connected, said socket member having a closed end and a longitudinal bore extending inwardly from the opposite end of said member and having a lateral bore extending inwardly from one side of said member and inclined to the axis of said longitudinal bore, inwardly toward said closed end, said lateral bore being of a diameter equal to the diameter of said ball and terminating in a Seat for said ball, said longitudinal bore opening into said lateral bore, and means in said longitudinal bore for engaging said bail and forcing the saine to its seat laterally of said lateral bore.

In testimony whereof I ami: my signature.

ERNEST CHARLES AUSTIN. 

